London Southern is the definition of an overachiever, and then some. Now finishing her junior year at Luthern East High School, she has been a steady presence as a dedicated McGregor volunteer since her freshman year.
London’s smile is powerful and contagious as she moves around McGregor with purpose and joy. Her mother, Jackie Southern, is Director of Life Enrichment and Volunteer Coordinator, and that’s how it all began. What started out as coming along with her mom for a few hours, turned into something deeper, something London says she’s always felt.
“I’ve always had that feeling to help someone,” London explains.
That same steady confidence shows up in how London sees herself. Her friends, she says, would call her loyal—someone who tells the truth, whether it’s easy or not, and who never looks down on anyone. Growing up as the middle child in a house full of siblings, she’s used to being the one who keeps things scheduled and together. When she’s away, she jokes, everything still runs through her.
London is seventeen, a junior balancing school, sports and a future that stretches far beyond what most people her age can see. But here, inside McGregor, she isn’t thinking about the future. She’s thinking about the people in front of her.
Since her freshman year, she’s been a steady presence at McGregor Forest Hill. At first, it was simple things—helping her mom decorate the community rooms, setting up events, sitting and talking with residents. Over time, it grew. She learned how to assist with transporting patients, how wheelchairs work, how to read the rhythm of a room and know who needed conversation and who just needed quiet company.
Recently, Jacqueline Southern introduced a therapy companion to her patients, a soft, mechanical robotic cat that purrs and responds to touch. London remembers one resident who lit up the moment it was placed in her hands, like she’d just received the perfect birthday gift.
Some days are weightier. There was Margo. Margo hugged London every time she saw her. Their conversations stretched so long that London would lose track of time, forgetting she had anywhere else to be. Margo sometimes forgot things, names, details, moments—but she never forgot London. “That always stuck with me,” London says quietly.
Then there is Bertha, who told stories about growing up as an only child and migrating North from Alabama. Through those stories, London found something she didn’t expect—not distance, but connection.
“There’s like a 60-year age difference,” London says, “but they have so much experience. They have taught me a lot. Even though times have changed… nothing really has.”
That perspective is part of what keeps her coming back, even after she’s already completed more than the required volunteer hours for school credit and résumé building. For London, it’s not about the requirements, it’s about relationships.
“I like to keep track of everyone’s progress,” she says, “And see how they’re doing.”
Outside of McGregor, London’s life moves fast. She’s a student at Lutheran East High School, where she’s also a student ambassador. She takes college-level courses through Ohio’s College Credit Plus program, already working through core subjects like English and math before she even graduates high school.
London started studying Mandarin in ninth grade and plans to continue, driven by a curiosity about cultures that go beyond the classroom. She’s explored Cleveland’s Asia Town, attended Asian shows and films, and is planning further summer programs to deepen her cultural understanding. In 2025, she won the Gold Award from the Ohio Association of Teachers of Chinese Essay contest.
And then there’s track, her main focus. She runs on the “A” relay team, earned her way to varsity as a freshman, and has competed at regionals and states. She’s also involved in volleyball and has been a cheerleader since seventh grade, now serving as co-captain.
When London is asked what drives her, she doesn’t hesitate. “My Mom. But it’s not about what my mom says, it’s what she does. The example she sets, day in and day out. I don’t even have to hear her speak,” London says. “It’s just the stuff she does.”
Looking ahead, London’s path is already taking shape. She plans to attend Grand Canyon University, drawn not just by academics but by a sense of belonging she felt when speaking with staff and visiting campus. She intends to study political science, and talks about becoming a mayor, a congresswoman. About advocating for change in communities like East Cleveland, tearing down what’s broken and rebuilding something better.
London plans to continue volunteering through her senior year. And even after that, she says, she’ll come back. “It’s the moments with the residents I cherish, a remembered name, a shared story, a long hug.”
And for London Southern, those moments matter just as much as anything waiting for her in the future. Stayed tuned to cast your ballot for London Southern at some future date… Find out more about becoming a volunteer at McGregor by visiting volunteer opportunities at McGregor.
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